How To Make Cake Pops With Leftover Cake

From baking mishaps to party leftovers, occasionally we find ourselves with a little extra cake in the house. Whether it's because you've been trying new tips for perfecting a chocolate cake or you are working out how to make the best-tasting carrot cake, leftover cake isn't a big problem. It can sit on the counter for quite a while treating everyone who passes with a little slice of happiness. It's a delicious way to sweeten up your afternoon, and you can cut slices any size you want — especially if nobody is looking. But cake is crumbly, frosting is sticky, and it's always easiest to eat in the kitchen.

That's where cake pops come into the picture. Cake pops turn that leftover cake into a portable and easy-to-eat treat that doesn't feel like leftovers at all. Instead, they feel a little gourmet, especially if you dress them up with sprinkles, drizzle them in melted chocolate, or use brightly colored frosting for themed cake pops — like the ones at Starbucks and other coffee shops. Homemade cake pops are the exact same as the ones you find in shops. All you have to do is crumble your leftover cake in a countertop mixer, add enough extra frosting to achieve a doughy texture, and add a popsicle stick to the center. Then pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes before adding frosting, sprinkles, and other decorations.

Any kind of leftover cake will work for homemade cake pops, whether you've found yourself with a bunk bundt or just with some extra birthday cake. Any kind of frosting will do as well, just match the flavor profiles of the cake and frosting for the best results. Watch the consistency of whatever cake you're using as it breaks down in the mixer. Different types of cake require different amounts of frosting to effectively form cake pops. A sauerkraut-German chocolate, for instance, will be moister than a regular box cake and require less frosting.

Roll your cake pops in melted dark chocolate wafers for a chocolate-dipped version and roll them in sprinkles or nuts for a fun burst of texture and color. Drizzle them with melted white chocolate wafers and add a more elegant touch or dress them to the nines by rolling them in edible gold leaf or spraying them with edible glitter before serving them as stunning appetizers. The options for decorating are really as endless as your creativity. Use frosting to turn your cake pops into adorable animals like bears and bunnies, make them into witches and zombies on Halloween, or even turn them into hearts for Valentine's Day.